Fracture box

ABSTRACT

A fracture box which may be constructed from a single sheet of such sheet material as card board, paper board, fiber board or the like. Such sheet is given a configuration by cutting and scoring so that it may be folded into a fracture box having an upper panel to support the lower leg of a patient and a lower panel forming an obtuse angle therewith to support the upper leg of the patient. Side walls project above the upper panel to provide a leg supporting channel and project below the upper panel to the base plane of the fracture box. The front edge of each side wall is at a predetermined angle with respect to said base plane and said lower panel has side wing panels which overlie the side walls and are secured so as to keep the lower panel in contact with said front edges. A back wall panel is folded back from the upper panel and has side wings which also overlie said side walls and are secured in place to give rigidity to the assembled structure. The scorings provide hinged connections whereby the fracture box may be assembled into its use configuration and collapsed into a form for easy transportation. An air inflatable cushion may be placed on the leg supporting panels for increased comfort as well as to modify the angle at which the upper and lower leg portions of the patient&#39;&#39;s leg is supported. An alternative embodiment provides a single inclined leg supporting panel, while the desired angle, at which the leg is maintained, is obtained by placing a triangular prism shaped inflated cushion on the panel.

United States Patent [191 Harrison 8 [ll] 3,857,390 [451 Dec. 31, 1974[22] Filed:

[ 1 QFRAICTURE BOX [76 Inventor: Howard D. Harrison, 16 Pine St.,

Lowell,,Mass. 01851 on. 19,1973 211 App]. No.: 407,869

52 user. l28/93,5/327R [51] Int.Cl. ..'.L .......A61f5/04 [58] Field ofSearch.... 128/93, 88, 87, 83, DIG. 20,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 830,776 9/1906 Flagg, 5/327 R1,118,973 l2/'l914 Troesch 5/327 R 2,581,110 1/1952 Kenworthy 5/327 R X3,496,934 2/1970 Anderson 128/88 3,786,805 l/l974 Tourin 128/87 RFOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 9,485 12/1904 Great Britain 128/881,350,754 4/1902 France l28/D1G. 20

Primary E.raminerRichard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-J. Yaslto YAttorney, Agent, or Firm -Elmer J. Gorn 57 1 ABSTRACT A fracture boxwhich may be constructed from a single sheet of such sheet material ascard board, paper board, fiber board or the like. Such sheet is given aconfiguration by cutting and scoring so that it may be folded into afracture box having an upper panel to support the lower leg of a patientand a lower panel forming an obtuse angle therewith to support the upperleg of the patient. Side walls project above the upper. panel to providea leg supporting channel and project below the upper panel to the baseplane of the fracture box. The front edge of each side wall is at apredetermined angle with respect to said base plane and said lower panelhas side wing panels which overlie the side walls and are secured so asto keep the lower panel in contact with said front edges. A back wallpanel is folded back from the upper panel and has side wings which alsooverlie said sidewalls and are secured in place to give rigidity to theassembled structure. The scorings provide hinged connections whereby thefracture box may be assembled into its use configuration and collapsedinto a form for easy transportation. An air inflatable cushion 'may i beplaced on the leg supporting panels for increased comfort as well as tomodify the angle at which the upper and lower leg portions of thepatients leg is supported. An alternative embodiment provides a singleinclined leg supporting panel, while the desired angle, at which thelegis maintained, is obtained by placing a triangular prism shapedinflated cushion on the panel.

9 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTED 3,857, 390

SHEET 3 OF 4 BASE PLAN E PATENTEDBEBM I974 3.857. 390

sneer u or 4 FRACTURE BOX In the treatment of fractures of the humanleg, fracture boxes have been devised to provide one surface for thesupport of the lower thigh and another surface, angularly disposedthereto for the support of the leg below the knee. Such fracture boxesare designed and intended for use primarily in hospitals during theearly recuperative period of the patient. They are heavy, expensivepieces of equipment, sometimes equipped with complicated tension devicesto exert tension on the leg. Due to their rigidity and weight, theyusually involve some discomfort by the patient in their use. Also theyare not easily transportable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention resides in the configurationgiven to a sheet oflight material which is sufficiently strong tosupport the leg of a patient recuperating from a fracture. Suchmaterials are, for example, card board, paper board, fiber board and thelike. The configuration consists basically of a leg supporting panel,preferably having an upper panel section which, with side wall members,provides a lower leg supporting channel, and a lower panel sectionforming an obtuse angle with the upper panel section. A particulararrangement of wings and flapsis provided whereby the sheet may beassembled into the desired configuration or collapsed into a form whichmay be readily carried to the patients home. Scoring'of the sheet at theappropriate locations provides hinges about which the various parts maybe unfolded and folded to provide the desired assembly and disassembly.For greater comfort and adjustment of the angle between the upper andlower leg, an inflatable cushion may be placed on the panel sectrons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTHE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the sheet fromwhich the fracture box may be formed;

FIG. la is a diagram showing the angle formed by a projection of sides 8and 14 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a view of a preferred type of material from which the fracturebox may be made;

FIG. 3 is a view of the fracture box in its assembled state;

FIG. 3a is a view showing an air inflatable cushion which is to beplaced on the leg supporting surfaces of the fracture box of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is an enlargement of a tying detail of the fracture box;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the fracture box in its folded state;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a step in the folding of the fracture boxinto its collapsed state;

FIG. 7 isa diagram illustrating the limits within which the angularrelationships of the leg supporting surface of the fracture box maylie;-

FIG. 8 is a plan view, similar to FIG. 1, of a sheet for making amodified form of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a view of such modified form in its assembled state;

FIG. 10 is an end view of the assembly of FIG. 9-; and

FIG. 11 is a view of such modification in its folded state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in FIG. 1, the fracturebox of the invention is constructed from a flat pliant sheet 1 of suchcommonly available sheet material as card board, paper board, fiberboard or the like. The term fiber board will be used in thespecification and claims herein as a generic term to include all suchmaterials. Preferably sheet I is made of the type of corrugated cardboard shown in FIG. 2, consisting of an inner corrugated sheet 2,secured between two outer sheets 3 and 4. Such material should be ofsufficient thickness and strength to support the weight of a human legand yet of sufficient pliability to be bent or folded along scored linesto enable it to be folded into the desired shape. The orientation of thecorrugations is preferably in the direction of the lines 2a in FIG. 1.

The sheet 1 is provided with a rectangular panel 5 which, as will bepointed out below, is adapted to support the lower thigh of the patientsleg. Connected to one end of the panel 5, along a score or furrow 6, isa panel 7 which, as will also be pointed out below is adapted to supportthat portion of the patients leg below the knee. It will be understoodthat the score or furrow, as well as the various other scores to bedescribed, is of a kind which produces a sufficient weakening of thesheet 1 to permit the sheet 1 to act as a hinge along such score. Alongeach side of panel 7 and connected thereto by scores 8 and 9 arerelatively short side panels 10 and 11. The scores 8 and 9 are locatedsubstantially at right angles to the score 6.

A longer side wall member 12 is connected to the outer edge of sidepanel 10 by a score 13 substantially parallel to the score 8. The outeredge 14 of side wall member 12 predetermines the location of the baseplane of the fracture box and is disposed at an angle with respect tothe score 8 which predeterminesthe angle at which the panel 7 will bedisposed with respect to such base plane. Such angle is shown at B inFIG. la in which the edge 14 and score 8 have been projected tointersect. The upper edge 15 of side wall member 12 is disposedat anangle A with respect to the edge 14. In the discussion of FIG. 1, theterms upper" and lower will refer to the orientation of the sheet 1 inFIG. 1. Angle A predetermines the angle at which the panel 5 will bedisposed with respect to said base plane. Upper edge 15 extends from theupper end of edge 14 to the upper end of score 13. The upper edge 16 ofpanel 10 extends from the upper end of score 13 to the upper end ofscore 8 and forms an angle with edge 15 symmetrically disposed withrespect to score 13 so that, when folded along score 13, edge 15 will besubstantially coincident with edge 16. The lower edge 17 of wall member12 is preferably disposed substantially perpendicular to edge 14 andpredetermines the location of the plane of the back of the fracture box.The lower edge 18 of panel 10, extends from the lower end of score 13 tothe lower end of score 8 and forms an angle with edge 17 symmetricallydisposed with respect to score 13 so that, when 10 and 14 are foldedalong score 13, edges 17 and 18 will be coincident.

A second side wall member 19 is connected to the outer edge of sidepanel 11 by a score 20 substantially parallel to score 9. Side wallmember 19 is a mirror imageof side wall member 11 and is provided withedges 21, 22 and 23 corresponding respectively to edges 14, 15 and 17 ofside wall member 12. Likewise,

side panel 11 is a mirror image of side panel 10, and is provided withedges 24 and 25 corresponding respectively to edges 16 and 18 of sidepanel 10.

Wing panels 90 and 91 are connected to opposite sides of panel by scores26 and 27 substantially in line with scores 8 and 9 respectively and areprovided with lower edges 29 and 30 and upper edges 32 and 33 preferablyparallel with respect to edges 29 and 30.

A back wall panel 34 is connected to panel 7 along a score 35substantially parallel with score 6. Side wing panels 36 and 37 areconnected to wall panel 34 along scores 38 and 39 substantially in linerespectively with scores 8 and 9.

In the side wall member 12 is cut a rectangular flap 40 leaving one sideconnected to said side wall 12 along a score 41. The score 41 isperpendicular to edge 14 and the inner side edge 42 is parallel withedge 14. The upper corner 42a of edge 42 is spaced from score 13 by adistance substantially equal to the distance between scores 8 and 13. Asimilar flap 43 is cut in the side wall member 22 and is connectedthereto by a score 44. The score 44, the inner side edge 45 and theupper corner 45a bear the same relationship to edge 21 and score 20 asthe score 41, the inner side edge 42 and the upper corner 42a bear toedge 14 and score 13.

A flap 46 is cut in the panel 5 with its upper side left connected tosaid panel by a score 47.

Studs or buttons 48 and 51 are secured respectively to wing panels 24and 37 and eyelets 49 and 50 are secured respectively to panels 25 and36. The details of these buttons and eyelets are shown in enlarged formin FIG. 4. The purpose of the buttons and eyelets is that, for example,a string or cord 52 may be looped through eyelet 50 and wound aroundbutton 48 to tie panels 36 and 90 together in the assembled state of thefracture box. Likewise, as will become apparent, such eyelets, buttonsand cords serve to bind the parts of the fracture box together in itsfolded state.

When the sheet 1 has been cut and scored in the manner described, paneland side wall member 12 are folded along score 13 and permanentlystapled or otherwise secured together to form a unitary side memberhinged intermediate its ends to panel 7 by score 8. This relationshipmay be more readily seen in FIG. 3. Likewise, panel 11 and side wallmember 19 are folded along score 20 and permanently cemented orotherwise secured together to form a second unitary side member hingedintermediateits end to panel 7 by score 9.

In order to be put into use by a patient the sheet 1 is assembled intothe configuration shown in FIG. 3. For this purpose, the two hinged sidemembers 12-10 and 11-19 are rotated about scores 8 and 9 into positionssubstantially perpendicular to panel 7. Flaps 40 and 43 are pushedinwardly so that their edges 42 and 45 contact the lower face of panel 7and serve as supplementary supports for the panel 7 against the pressureexerted by the patients leg. FIG. 3 shows the flap 43 and edge 45 insuch assembled state. Back wall panel 34 is folded down along score 35and side wing panels 36 and 37 are folded inwardly along scores 38 and39 so that the side wing panels 36 and 37 overlie the side wall members12 and 19. The panel 5 is folded down along score 6 and the side wingpanels 90 and 91 are folded inwardly so as to overlie the side wallmembers 12 and 19. Cords 52 which have been looped through eyelets 49and 50 are then twisted about studs 48 and 51 and tied so as to retainthe inner side of panel 5 snugly against the edges 15 and 22 and toretain the inner side of back wall panel 34 snugly against the edges 17and 23. The fracture box, assembled as shown in FIG. 3, is light andeasily moved and yet sufficiently rigid to support a patients leg incomfort with the necessary firmness.

As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7, the angle A, formed between thehorizontal base plane of the fracture box and panel 5, may have anyvalue between about 30 and while the angle C, betweenpanel 5 and panel7, may have any value between and v provided that in any case angle B isnot less than about 15 above the horizontal. These angular relationshipsinsure a medically sound and physically comfortable position for thepatients leg.

In order to increase the comfort of the patient and stimulate thehealing process an air inflatable cushion, such as that shown at 53 inFIG. 3a may be superposed on the panels 7 and 5 of FIG. 3. Air cushion53 is preferably made of plastic sheet material such as, for example,polyvinyl chloride. It is formed of two sections; an upper section 54 tobe placed on panel 7 and a lower section 55 to be placed on panel 5.These sections are hollow so that they may be inflated through aninjection air tube 56 at one end of the cushion section 54 and an airinjection tube 57 at one end of section 55. In order that the sections54 and 55 may bend around the corner provided by score 6, they arehinged together by a hinge section 58.

When it is desired to transfer the patient from a location such as ahospital, to another location, such as the patients home, the cushion 53is removed from the fracture box and is deflated through tubes 56 and57. Then the fracture box may be folded into the compact form as shownin FIG. 5. In order to do so the cords 52 are untied and the assembly isplaced on a flat surface as shown in FIG. 6 with the unitary sidemembers l0, l2 and 11, 19 folded out flat with the panels 10 and 11beneath the panel 7. The panel 5 is flattened onto the flat surface withthe wing panels 90 and 91 tucked under the side walls 12 and 19. Theback wall panel 34 with its side wing panels 36 and 37 are alsoflattened onto the flat surface. Next, the side wing panels 36 and 37are folded back into the panel 34 which is folded up against the surfaceof panel 7. The side walls 12 and 19 are folded back over the panel 34onto the panel 7 and the wing panels 90 and 91 are folded back onto theside walls 12 and 19. The assembly is now in the configuration of FIG. 5and the cord 52, which has been looped through eyelet 49, is tied aroundthe stud 48 to keep the resultant configuration in place. Flap 46 isthen folded back along score 47 to provide a hand hold aperture 58whereby the package may be readily hand carried. The deflated cushion 53may be folded and placed inside such package, or may be carriedseparately.

A modified form of the invention shown in FIGS. 8, 9, 10 and 11. FIGS.8, 9 and 11 correspond, in general, to FIGS. 1, 3 and '5 of thepreviously described embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, a flat pliant sheet59 is formed from a flat sheet of fiber board such as that describedabove. Sheet 59 is provided with a single rectangular panel 60 adaptedto support both portions of the patients leg. Along each side of panel60, and connected thereto by scores 61 and 62, are relatively short sidepanels 63 and 64. Larger side wall members 65 and 66 are connected tothe outer edges of panels 63 and 64 by scores 67 and 68, respectively,substantially parallel to scores 61 and 62. The outer edges, 69 and 70of side wall members 65 and 66 are disposed at an angle with respect toscores 67 and 68 so as to determine the angle at which panel 60 will bedisposed with respect to the base plane of the fracture box in itsassembled state.

A back wall panel 71 is connected to the upper end of panel 60 along ascore 72. Tabs 73 and 74 are provided on opposite sides of panel 71adjacent its upper edge. Panel 71 is also provided with a centrallylocated vertical slot 75.

End wall panels 76 and 77 are connected to the upper outer ends of sidewall members 65 and 66 along scores 78 and 79. The outer ends of panels76 and 77 are provided with tabs 80 and 81 which are connected to saidpanels by scores 82 and 83. Slots 84 and 85 are provided at locationsalong scores 78 and 79 at which such slots may receive tabs 73 and 74.

In use, the sheet 59 is assembled into the configuration as shown inFIGS. 9 and 10. For this purpose, panel 63 and side wall 65 are foldedalong score 67 and permanently secured together. Likewise, panel 64 andside wall 66 are folded along score 68 and permanently secured together.Back wall 71 is folded down along score 72 and panels 76 and 77 arefolded inwardly along scores 78 and 79 to overlie back wall 71. Tabs 80and 81 are foldedinwardly along scores 82 and 83 and are then tuckedinto slot 75. Likewise, tabs 73 and 74 are pushed through slots 84 and85 respectively. The reception of the several tabs in their respectiveslots securely holds the fracture box in the assembled state as shown inFIG. 9.

In order to provide the requisite angular relationship for supportingthe upper and lower portions of the patients leg and to increase thecomfort of the patient, an inflated cushion 86 is placed on the flatpanel 60. This cushion is in the shape of a triangular prism, the'twotop parallelogram sides 87 and 88 being angularly related to each otherwithin the limits as described above with respect to FIG. 7. The sides87 and 88 are adapted to support the upper and lower portions of thepatients leg. The cushion may be inflated and deflated through asuitable air injection tube 89.

This embodiment also may be folded into a compact form as shown in FIG.11 in which the panels 76 and 77 are folded inside the package and theback wall 71 folded over them. The package may be tied together by aneyelet 90, a stud 91 and a cord 92 of the same nature as thecorresponding elements of the first described embodiment. Similarly, thecushion 86 may be deflated and easily carried with the folded fracturebox.

While the fracture box of this invention is intended primarily for thetreatment of fractures, it may be used for other medical applicationsinvolving the improvement of venous circulation. Various other uses willsuggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A fracture box comprising:

a. a leg supporting section including a substantially rectangular planarpanel,

b. a pair of planar side wall members hingedly connected to oppositesides of said panel by a pair of hinged connections, each of said hingedconnections being displaced from the upper edge of each of said sidewall members whereby a leg-receiving channel is provided between saidpanel and the upper portions of said side wall members;

0. each of said side wall members having a bottom edge, said bottomedges defining the base plane of said fracture box;

d. each of said hinged connections being disposed at a predeterminedacute angle with respect to said base plane;

e. said side wall members being rotatable about said hinged connectionsfrom a collapsed position, in which the plane of each of said side wallmembers and the plane of said panel are superposed, to an assembledposition in which the plane of each of said side wall members issubstantially perpendicular to the plane of said panel with the plane ofsaid panel also being disposed at said predetermined acute angle withrespect to said base plane;

f. and means for maintaining said side wall members in said assembledposition.

2. A fracture box as in claim 1 in which said panel is provided with alower edge extending transversely between said pair of hingedconnections and being located at a substantial distance above the bottomedges of said side wall members, said leg supporting section alsocomprising:

a. a second substantially rectangular planar panel hingedly connected tosaid lower edge of said first panel and of a sufficient length to haveits outer edge lie substantially adjacent said base plane in saidassembled position with said second panel lying in a secondpredetermined acute angle with respect to said base plane and at apredetermined obtuse angle with respect to the plane of said firstpanel.

3. A fracture box as in claim 2 in which:

a. each of said side wall members is provided with a .front edgedisposed at said second predetermined acute angle with respect to saidbase plane, said fracture box also comprising b. means for holding saidsecond panel in contact I with said front edges in said assembledposition.

4. A fracture box as in claim 2 in which said second predetermined acuteangle, between said second panel and said base plane, has a valuebetween substantially 30 and and said obtuse angle between said firstand second panels has a value between substantially and said firstpredetermined acute angle, betweensaid first panel and said base plane,in any case, not being less than substantially 15.

5. A fracture box comprising:

a. a leg supporting section including a substantially rectangular panel;

b. a pair of side wall members hingedly connected to opposite sides ofsaid panel, the location of each of said hinged connections beingdisplaced from the upper edge of each of said side wall members wherebya leg-receiving channel is provided between said panel and the upperportions of said wall members;

0. each of said side wall members having a bottom edge, said bottomedges defining the bottom plane of said fracture box;

d. means for maintaining said side wall members substantiallyperpendicular to said bottom plane;

e. said leg supporting section being provided with upper and lower legsupporting surfaces, said surfaces being disposed at a predeterminedobtuse angle with respect to each other, said surfaces also being eachdisposed at a predetermined acute angle with respect to said bottomplane;

f. said panel and side wall members being comprised of a single sheet offiber board and said hinged connections being comprised of scores formedin said single sheet.

6. A fracture box comprising:

a. a leg supporting section including a substantially rectangular panel;

b. a pair of side wall members hingedly connected to opposite sides ofsaid panel, the location of each of said hinged connections beingdisplaced from the upper edge of each of said side wall members wherebya leg-receiving channel is provided be tween said panel and the upperportions of said wall members;

c. each of said side wall members having a bottom d. means formaintaining said side wall members substantially perpendicular to saidbottom plane;

c. said leg supporting section being provided with upper and lower legsupporting surfaces, said surfaces being disposed at a predeterminedobtuse angle with respect to each other, said surfaces also being eachdisposed at a predetermined acute angle with respect to said bottomplane;

f. a second panel hingedly connected to the front edge of said firstnamed panel;

g. means for maintaining said second panel at a first of saidpredetermined acute angles with respect to said bottom plane;

h. said hinged connections between said first named panel and said sidewall members being disposed at a second of said predetermined acuteangles with respect to said base plane;

i. whereby the surfaces of said first and second panels comprise saidleg supporting surfaces;

j. a back wall panel hingedly connected to the back edge of said firstpanel;

k. said back wall panel being provided with side wing panels hingedlyconnected to opposite sides of said back wall panel and overlying theouter surface of said side wall members;

1. said second panel being provided with side wing panels hingedlyconnected to opposite sides of said second panel, and overlying theouter surfaces of said side wall members; and

m. securing means interconnecting the two side wing panels on each sideof said side wall members, said securing means comprising said means formaintaining said side walls substantially perpendicular to said bottomplane and also comprising said means for holding said second panel incontact with said front edges.

7. A fracture box comprising:

a. a leg supporting section including a substantially rectangular panel;

b. a pair of side wall members hingedly connected to opposite sides ofsaid panel, the location of each of said hinged connections beingdisplaced from the upper edge of each of said side wall members wherebya leg-receiving channel is provided between said panel and the upperportions of said wall members; 7

c. each of said side wall members having a bottom edge, said bottomedges defining the bottom plane of said fracture box;

d. means for maintaining said side wall members substantiallyperpendicular to said bottom plane;

e. said leg supporting section being provided with upper and lower legsupporting surfaces, said surfaces being disposed at a predeterminedobtuse angle with respect to each other, said surfaces also being eachdisposed at a predetermined acute angle with respect to said bottomplane;

f. said panel and side wall members being comprised ofa single sheet offiber board and said hinged connections being comprised of scores formedin said single sheet;

g. each side wall members being provided with a flap cut into said sidewall members and hingedly connected thereto at a location at which saidflap engages the lower side of said first panel whereby additionalsupport for said first panel is provided.

8. A fracture box comprising:

a. a leg supporting section including a substantially rectangular panel;

b. a pair of side wall members hingedly connected to opposite sides ofsaid panel, the location of each of said hinged connections beingdisplaced from the upper edge of each of said side wall members wherebya leg-receiving channel is provided between said panel and the upperportions of said wall members;

c. each of said side wall members having a bottom edge, said bottomedges defining the bottom plane of said fracture box;

d. means for maintaining said side wall members substantiallyperpendicular to said bottom plane;

e. said leg supporting section being provided with upper and lower legsupporting surfaces, said sur faces being disposed at a predeterminedobtuse angle with respect to each other, said surfaces also being eachdisposed at a predetermined acute angle with respect to said bottomplane;

f. said panel and side wall members being comprised of a single sheet offiber board and said hinged connections being comprised of scores formedin said single sheet;

g. said hinged connections comprising means whereby said fracture boxmay be collapsed into a compact flat package in which said wing panelsof said second panel overlie one side of said flat package, said wingpanels being provided with means to secure said wing panels together tomaintain said flat package.

9. A fracture box as in claim 8 in which said second panel is providedwith a flap cut into it and hingedly connected to it adjacent the loweredge of said second panel to provide a carrying hand hole for saidpackage. l

1. A fracture box comprising: a. a leg supporting section including asubstantially rectangular planar panel, b. a pair of planar side wallmembers hingedly connected to opposite sides of said panel by a pair ofhinged connections, each of said hinged connections being displaced fromthe upper edge of each of said side wall members whereby a leg-receivingchannel is provided between said panel and the upper portions of saidside wall members; c. each of said side wall members having a bottomedge, said bottom edges defining the base plane of said fracture box; d.each of said hinged connections being disposed at a predetermined acuteangle with respect to said base plane; e. said side wall members beingrotatable about said hinged connections from a collapsed position, inwhich the plane of each of said side wall members and the plane of saidpanel are superposed, to an assembled position in which the plane ofeach of said side wall members is substantially perpendicular to theplane of said panel with the plane of said panel also being disposed atsaid predetermined acute angle with respect to said base plane; f. andmeans for maintaining said side wall members in said assembled position.2. A fracture box as in claim 1 in which said panel is provided with alower edge extending transversely between said pair of hingedconnections and being located at a substantial distance above the bottomedges of said side wall members, said leg supporting section alsocomprising: a. a second substantially rectangular planar panel hingedlyconnected to said lower edge of said first panel and of a sufficientlength to have its outer edge lie substantially adjacent said base planein said assembled position with said second panel lying in a secondpredetermined acute angle with respect to said base plane and at apredetermined obtuse angle with respect to the plane of said firstpanel.
 3. A fracture box as in claim 2 in which: a. each of said sidewall members is provided with a front edge disposed at said secondpredetermined acute angle with respect to said base plane, said fracturebox also comprising b. means for holding said second panel in contactwith said front edges in said assembled position.
 4. A fracture box asin claim 2 in which said second predetermined acute angle, between saidsecond panel and said base plane, has a value between substantially 30*and 70*, and said obtuse angle between said first and second panels hasa value between substantially 120* and 170*, said first predeterminedacute angle, between said first panel and said base plane, in any case,not being less than substantially 15*.
 5. A fracture box comprising: a.a leg supporting section including a substantially rectangular panel; b.a pair of side wall members hingedly connected to opposite sides of saidpanel, the location of each of said hinged connections being displacedfrom the upper edge of each of said side wall members whereby aleg-receiving channel is provided between said panel and the upperportions of said wall members; c. each of said side wall members havinga bottom edge, said bottom edges defining the bottom plane of saidfracture box; d. means for maintaining said side wall memberssubstantially perpendicular to said bottom plane; e. said leg supportingsection being provided with upper and lower leg supporting surfaces,said surfaces being disposed at a predetermined obtuse angle withrespect to each other, said surfaces also being each disposed at apredetermined acute angle with respect to said bottom plane; f. saidpanel and side wall members being comprised of a single sheet of fiberboard and said hinged connections being comprised of scores formed insaid single sheet.
 6. A fracture box comprising: a. a leg supportingsection including a substantially rectangular panel; b. a pair of sidewall members hingedly connected to opposite sides of said panel, thelocation of each of said hinged connections being displaced from theupper edge of each of said side wall members whereby a leg-receivingchannel is provided between said panel and the upper portions of saidwall members; c. each of said side wall members having a bottom edge,said bottom edges defining the bottom plane of said fracture box; d.means for maintaining said side wall members substantially perpendicularto said bottom plane; e. said leg supporting section being provided withupper and lower leg supporting surfaces, said surfaces being disposed ata predetermined obtuse angle with respect to each other, said surfacesalso being each disposed at a predetermined acute angle with respect tosaid bottom plane; f. a second panel hingedly connected to the frontedge of said first named panel; g. means for maintaining said secondpanel at a first of said predetermined acute angles with respect to saidbottom plane; h. said hinged connections between said first named paneland said side wall members being disposed at a second of saidpredetermined acute angles with respect to said base plane; i. wherebythe surfaces of said first and second panels comprise said legsupporting surfaces; j. a back wall pAnel hingedly connected to the backedge of said first panel; k. said back wall panel being provided withside wing panels hingedly connected to opposite sides of said back wallpanel and overlying the outer surface of said side wall members;
 7. Afracture box comprising: a. a leg supporting section including asubstantially rectangular panel; b. a pair of side wall members hingedlyconnected to opposite sides of said panel, the location of each of saidhinged connections being displaced from the upper edge of each of saidside wall members whereby a leg-receiving channel is provided betweensaid panel and the upper portions of said wall members; c. each of saidside wall members having a bottom edge, said bottom edges defining thebottom plane of said fracture box; d. means for maintaining said sidewall members substantially perpendicular to said bottom plane; e. saidleg supporting section being provided with upper and lower legsupporting surfaces, said surfaces being disposed at a predeterminedobtuse angle with respect to each other, said surfaces also being eachdisposed at a predetermined acute angle with respect to said bottomplane; f. said panel and side wall members being comprised of a singlesheet of fiber board and said hinged connections being comprised ofscores formed in said single sheet; g. each side wall members beingprovided with a flap cut into said side wall members and hingedlyconnected thereto at a location at which said flap engages the lowerside of said first panel whereby additional support for said first panelis provided.
 8. A fracture box comprising: a. a leg supporting sectionincluding a substantially rectangular panel; b. a pair of side wallmembers hingedly connected to opposite sides of said panel, the locationof each of said hinged connections being displaced from the upper edgeof each of said side wall members whereby a leg-receiving channel isprovided between said panel and the upper portions of said wall members;c. each of said side wall members having a bottom edge, said bottomedges defining the bottom plane of said fracture box; d. means formaintaining said side wall members substantially perpendicular to saidbottom plane; e. said leg supporting section being provided with upperand lower leg supporting surfaces, said surfaces being disposed at apredetermined obtuse angle with respect to each other, said surfacesalso being each disposed at a predetermined acute angle with respect tosaid bottom plane; f. said panel and side wall members being comprisedof a single sheet of fiber board and said hinged connections beingcomprised of scores formed in said single sheet; g. said hingedconnections comprising means whereby said fracture box may be collapsedinto a compact flat package in which said wing panels of said secondpanel overlie one side of said flat package, said wing panels beingprovided with means to secure said wing panels together to maintain saidflat package.
 9. A fracture box as in claim 8 in which said second panelis provided with a flap cut into it and hingedly connected to itadjacent the lower edge of said second panel to provide a carrying handhole for said package.